This invention relates to a reinforcement for a vehicle door, and more specifically, a reinforcement for a cargo door used between a vehicle cab and a vehicle bed.
Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) have become very popular in recent years and are suitable for transporting many passengers or smaller cargo. A recent vehicle design innovation has been to cross an SUV with a pick-up truck to increase the transport capacity for larger cargo. These hybrid vehicles have a spacious extended cab, which is larger than the typical pick-up extended cab, for comfortably seating passengers. To maintain generally the same vehicle length, the cargo bed is shorter than a typical pick-up. Because the ability to transport larger cargo is compromised with the shorter cargo bed, it is desirable to extend the cargo bed. One design utilizes a reconfigurable intermediate panel (RIP) between the cab and cargo bed to extend the cargo bed and accommodate larger cargo.
RIPs may be opened to permit cargo to extend from the cargo bed into the cab and then closed to separate the cab and cargo bed. In one type of arrangement, the RIP may be pivotally connected to the vehicle by a hinge so that it may be rotated out of the way when the REP is opened. Pick-ups have separate box-shaped cargo beds that are secured onto the. vehicle behind the vehicle frame. If heavy cargo were to shift or move violently forward, the front wall of the cargo box, in addition to the rear wall of the cab, would adequately protect the passengers under most conditions. However, with the hybrid vehicles discussed above, the structural barrier between the cargo bed and the cab is reduced, that is, the front wall of the cargo bed is eliminated, which reduces the protection provided to the passengers from heavy cargo. Therefore, what is needed is an RIP that provides an improved structural barrier between the cargo bed and the cab from heavy cargo.
The present invention provides a reconfigurable intermediate panel (RIP) arranged between the cab and the cargo bed of a vehicle. The vehicle has a vehicle body structure that separates the cab and the cargo bed. The RIP is arranged within an opening in the vehicle body structure for providing access to the cab from the cargo bed. The RIP includes a door structure having first and second opposing portions adjacent to opposing sides of the opening when the RIP is in a closed position. A plurality of cable spans the first and second portions for strengthening the door structure and barring the entry of cargo from the cargo bed into the cab when the structure is in the closed position. In one embodiment, the cables extend from opposing portions of a door frame. In another embodiment, the cables are embedded in a plastic panel, which is secured to a door frame. Accordingly, the above invention provides an RIP that provides an improved structural barrier between the cargo bed and the cab from heavy cargo.